United States Senate elections, 1936

Last updated
United States Senate elections, 1936 and 1937
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg
  1934 November 3, 1936 1938  

32 of the 96 seats in the United States Senate
49 seats needed for a majority

 Majority partyMinority party
  Joseph t robinson.jpg Charles mcnary.jpg
Leader Joseph Robinson Charles McNary
Party Democratic Republican
Leader sinceDecember 3, 1923March 4, 1933
Leader's seat Arkansas Oregon
Seats before6922
Seats after7417
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 5Decrease2.svg 5
Seats up1911
Races won246

 Third partyFourth party
 
Party Farmer–Labor Progressive
Seats before21
Seats after21
Seat changeSteady2.svgSteady2.svg
Seats up10
Races won10

 Fifth party
 
Party Independent
Seats before0
Seats after1
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 1
Seats up0
Races won1

US 1936 senate election map.svg
Results including special elections
     Democratic gain     Democratic hold
     Republican gain     Republican hold
     Farmer–Labor hold
     Independent gain

Majority Leader before election

Joseph Robinson
Democratic

Elected Majority Leader

Joseph Robinson
Democratic

The United States Senate elections of 1936 coincided with the reelection of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Great Depression continued and voters backed progressive candidates favoring Roosevelt's New Deal in races across the country. The Democrats gained 5 net seats during the election, and in combination with Democratic and Farmer–Labor interim appointments and the defection of George W. Norris from the Republican Party to become independent, the Republicans were reduced to 16 seats, the most lopsided Senate since Reconstruction.

United States Senate Upper house of the United States Congress

The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, which along with the United States House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the legislature of the United States. The Senate chamber is located in the north wing of the Capitol, in Washington, D.C.

Great Depression 20th-century worldwide economic depression

The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression that took place mostly during the 1930s, beginning in the United States. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations; in most countries it started in 1929 and lasted until the late-1930s. It was the longest, deepest, and most widespread depression of the 20th century. In the 21st century, the Great Depression is commonly used as an example of how intensely the world's economy can decline.

New Deal Economic programs of U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt

The New Deal was a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States between 1933 and 1936. It responded to needs for relief, reform, and recovery from the Great Depression. Major federal programs included the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the Civil Works Administration (CWA), the Farm Security Administration (FSA), the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933 (NIRA) and the Social Security Administration (SSA). They provided support for farmers, the unemployed, youth and the elderly. The New Deal included new constraints and safeguards on the banking industry and efforts to re-inflate the economy after prices had fallen sharply. New Deal programs included both laws passed by Congress as well as presidential executive orders during the first term of the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Contents

Gains and Losses

The Republicans took one open seat in Massachusetts, while the Democrats took open seats in Michigan and New Hampshire and defeated incumbents Daniel O. Hastings (R-DE), Lester J. Dickinson (R-IA), W. Warren Barbour (R-NJ), Jesse H. Metcalf (R-RI), and Robert D. Carey (R-WY).

Daniel O. Hastings American politician

Daniel Oren Hastings was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Republican Party, who served two terms as U.S. Senator from Delaware.

Lester J. Dickinson American politician

Lester Jesse Dickinson was a Republican United States Representative and Senator from Iowa. He was, in the words of Time magazine, "a big, friendly, white-thatched Iowa lawyer." In early 1936 he dreamed of winning the presidency. However, the only race he would enter that year would be for his own seat in the Senate, and he would lose it.

Jesse H. Metcalf American politician

Jesse Houghton Metcalf was a United States Senator from Rhode Island.

Milestones

This was the last of four consecutive elections where Republicans suffered losses due to the ongoing effects of the Great Depression. This was also the last Senate election in the 20th century in which a Democratic candidate who won two terms also made net gains in the Senate on both occasions (although Franklin Roosevelt won a third and fourth term, he lost Senate seats on both occasions).

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections

Going into the November 1936 elections.

D1D2D3D4D5D6D7D8
D18D17D16D15D14D13D12D11D10D9
D19D20D21D22D23D24D25D26D27D28
D38D37D36D35D34D33D32D31D30D29
D39D40D41D42D43D44D45D45D46D47
Majority →D49
D58
Ran
D57
Ran
D56
Ran
D55
Ran
D54
Ran
D53
Ran
D52
Ran
D51
Ran
D50
D59
Ran
D60
Ran
D61
Ran
D62
Ran
D63
Ran
D64
Ran
D65
Ran
D66
Ran
D67
Retired
D68
Retired
R19
Ran
R20
Ran
R21
Ran
R22
Retired
FL1FL2
Retired
P1V1V2
R died
D69
Retired
R18
Ran
R17
Ran
R16
Ran
R15
Ran
R14
Ran
R13
Ran
R12
Ran
R11R10R9
R1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8

Result of the general elections

D1D2D3D4D5D6D7D8
D18D17D16D15D14D13D12D11D10D9
D19D20D21D22D23D24D25D26D27D28
D38D37D36D35D34D33D32D31D30D29
D39D40D41D42D43D44D45D45D46D47
Majority →D49
D58
Re-elected
D57
Re-elected
D56
Re-elected
D55
Re-elected
D54
Re-elected
D53
Re-elected
D52
Re-elected
D51
Re-elected
D50
D59
Re-elected
D60
Re-elected
D61
Re-elected
D62
Re-elected
D63
Re-elected
D64
Re-elected
D65
Re-elected
D66
Hold
D67
Hold
D68
Hold
FL1FL2
Hold
P1V1D74
Gain
D73
Gain
D72
Gain
D71
Gain
D70
Gain
D69
Gain
I1
Re-elected
new party
R17
Gain
R16
Hold
R15
Re-elected
R14
Re-elected
R13
Re-elected
R12
Re-elected
R11R10R9
R1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8

Result of the special elections

D1D2D3D4D5D6D7D8
D18D17D16D15D14D13D12D11D10D9
D19D20D21D22D23D24D25D26D27D28
D38D37D36D35D34D33D32D31D30D29
D39D40D41D42D43D44D45D46D47D48
Majority →D49
Appointee elected
D58D57D56D55D54D53D52D51
Hold
D50
Hold
D59D60D61D62D63D64D65D66D67D68
FL1FL2P1D75
Gain
D74D73D72D71D70D69
I1R17R16R15R14R13R12R11R10R9
R1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8

Beginning of the next Congress

D1D2D3D4D5D6D7D8
D18D17D16D15D14D13D12D11D10D9
D19D20D21D22D23D24D25D26D27D28
D38D37D36D35D34D33D32D31D30D29
D39D40D41D42D43D44D45D46D47D48
Majority →D49
D58D57D56D55D54D53D52D51D50
D59D60D61D62D63D64D65D66D67D68
FL2P1D76
Appointed
D75D74D73D72D71D70D69
FL1I1R16R15R14R13R12R11R10R9
R1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8
Key:
D# Democratic
FL# Farmer–Labor
P# Progressive
R# Republican
I# Independent
V#Vacant

Race summaries

Elections during the 74th Congress

In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1936 or before January 3, 1937; ordered by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Louisiana
(Class 2)
Rose McConnell Long Democratic1936 (Appointed)Interim appointee elected April 21, 1936.
Winner was later not elected to the next term, see below.
Rose McConnell Long (Democratic)
Unopposed [1]
Florida
(Class 1)
Scott M. Loftin Democratic1936 (Appointed)Interim appointee retired.
New senator elected November 3, 1936.
Democratic hold.
Charles O. Andrews (Democratic) 80.9%
Howard C. Babcock (Republican) 19.1%
Florida
(Class 3)
William Luther Hill Democratic1936 (Appointed)Interim appointee retired.
New senator elected November 3, 1936.
Democratic hold.
Claude Pepper (Democratic)
Unopposed
Iowa
(Class 3)
Vacant Richard L. Murphy (D) had died July 16, 1936.
New senator elected November 3, 1936.
Democratic gain.
Guy M. Gillette (Democratic) 51.9%
Berry F. Halden (Republican) 46.6%
Minnesota
(Class 2)
Elmer Austin Benson Farmer–Labor 1935 (Appointed)Interim appointee retired.
New senator elected November 3, 1936.
Republican gain.
Winner was not a candidate for the next term, see below.
Guy V. Howard (Republican) 42.89%
Nathaniel J. Holmberg (Republican) 28.42%
Andrews O. Devold (Republican) 19.98%
John G. Alexander (Republican) 8.71%
New Mexico
(Class 1)
Dennis Chavez Democratic1935 (Appointed)Interim appointee elected November 3, 1936.Dennis Chavez (Democratic) 55.7%
M. A. Otero, Jr. (Republican) 44.2%

Elections leading to the 75th Congress

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 1937; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Alabama John H. Bankhead II Democratic 1930 Incumbent re-elected.John H. Bankhead II (Democratic) 87.0%
H. E. Berkstresser (Republican) 12.2%
Arkansas Joseph Robinson Democratic 1913
1918
1924
1930
Incumbent re-elected.Joseph Robinson (Democratic) 81.8%
G. C. Ledbetter (Republican) 16.4%
Colorado Edward P. Costigan Democratic 1930 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected.
Democratic hold.
Edwin C. Johnson (Democratic) 63.5%
Raymond L. Sauter (Republican) 35.3%
Delaware Daniel O. Hastings Republican1928 (Appointed)
1930
Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected.
Democratic gain.
James H. Hughes (Democratic) 53.0%
Daniel O. Hastings (Republican) 41.4%
Robert G. Houston (Independent) 5.4%
Georgia Richard Russell, Jr. Democratic 1933 (Special) Incumbent re-elected.Richard Russell, Jr. (Democratic)
Unopposed
Idaho William E. Borah Republican 1907
1913
1918
1924
1930
Incumbent re-elected.William E. Borah (Republican) 63.4%
C. Ben Ross (Democratic) 36.6%
Illinois J. Hamilton Lewis Democratic 1913
1918 (Lost)
1930
Incumbent re-elected.J. Hamilton Lewis (Democratic) 56.5%
Otis F. Glenn (Republican) 40.7%
Iowa Lester J. Dickinson Republican 1930 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected.
Democratic gain.
Clyde L. Herring (Democratic) 50.5%
Lester J. Dickinson (Republican) 47.1%
Kansas Arthur Capper Republican 1918
1924
1930
Incumbent re-elected.Arthur Capper (Republican) 51.0%
Omar B. Ketchum (Democratic) 48.4%
Kentucky Marvel M. Logan Democratic 1930 Incumbent re-elected.Marvel M. Logan (Democratic) 58.8%
Robert M. Lucas (Republican) 39.8%
Louisiana Rose McConnell Long Democratic1936 (Appointed)
1936 (Special)
Incumbent retired.
New senator elected.
Democratic hold.
Allen J. Ellender (Democratic)
Unopposed
Maine Wallace H. White, Jr. Republican 1930 Incumbent re-elected.Wallace H. White, Jr. (Republican) 50.8%
Louis J. Brann (Democratic) 49.3%
Massachusetts Marcus A. Coolidge Democratic 1930 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected.
Republican gain.
Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. (Republican) 48.5%
James Michael Curley (Democratic) 41.0%
Thomas C. O'Brien (Independent) 7.4%
Michigan VacantPredecessor died having already lost renomination.
New senator elected.
Democratic gain.
Winner was later appointed to finish term.
Prentiss M. Brown (Democratic) 53.3%
Wilber M. Brucker (Republican) 41.8%
Minnesota Elmer Austin Benson Farmer–Labor 1935 (Appointed)Interim appointee retired.
New senator elected.
Farmer–Labor hold.
Winner was not a candidate to finish the current term.
Ernest Lundeen (Farmer–Labor) 62.2%
Theodore Christianson (Republican) 37.8%
Mississippi Pat Harrison Democratic 1918
1924
1930
Incumbent re-elected.Pat Harrison (Democratic)
Unopposed
Montana James E. Murray Democratic 1934 (Special) Incumbent re-elected.James E. Murray (Democratic) 55.0%
Thomas O. Larson (Republican) 27.1%
Joseph P. Monaghan (Independent) 17.9%
Nebraska George W. Norris Republican 1913
1918
1924
1930
Incumbent re-elected as an Independent.
Independent gain.
George W. Norris (Independent) 43.8%
Robert G. Simmons (Republican) 37.8%
Terry Carpenter (Democratic) 18.4%
New Hampshire Henry W. Keyes Republican 1918
1924
1930
Incumbent retired.
New senator elected.
Republican hold.
Styles Bridges (Republican) 51.9%
William N. Rogers (Democratic) 47.7%
New Jersey W. Warren Barbour Republican1931 (Appointed)
1932 (Special)
Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected.
Democratic gain.
William H. Smathers (Democratic) 54.9%
W. Warren Barbour (Republican) 44.3%
New Mexico Carl A. Hatch Democratic1933 (Appointed)
1934 (Special)
Incumbent re-elected.Carl A. Hatch (Democratic) 61.7%
Ernest W. Everly (Republican) 38.3%
North Carolina Josiah Bailey Democratic 1930 Incumbent re-elected.Josiah Bailey (Democratic) 70.8%
Frank R. Patton (Republican) 29.2%
Oklahoma Thomas P. Gore Democratic 1907 (New state)
1909
1914
1920 (Lost)
1930
Incumbent lost renomination.
New senator elected.
Democratic hold.
Josh Lee (Democratic) 68.0%
Herbert K. Hyde (Republican) 31.6%
Oregon Charles L. McNary Republican1917 (Appointed)
1918 (Not elected)
1918 (Appointed)
1918
1924
1930
Incumbent re-elected.Charles L. McNary (Republican) 51.0%
Willis Mahoney (Democratic) 48.4%
Rhode Island Jesse H. Metcalf Republican 1924 (Special)
1924
1930
Incumbent lost re-election. [2]
New senator elected.
Democratic gain.
Theodore F. Green (Democratic) 48.6%
Jesse H. Metcalf (Republican) 44.4%
Ludger LaPointe (Independent) 7.0%
South Carolina James F. Byrnes Democratic 1930 Incumbent re-elected.James F. Byrnes (Democratic)
Unopposed
South Dakota William J. Bulow Democratic 1930 Incumbent re-elected.William J. Bulow (Democratic) 48.8%
Chandler Gurney (Republican) 46.8%
Tennessee Nathan L. Bachman Democratic1933 (Appointed)
1934 (Special)
Incumbent re-elected.Nathan L. Bachman (Democratic) 76.4%
Dwayne D. Maddox (Republican) 18.8%
Texas Morris Sheppard Democratic 1913 (Special)
1913
1918
1924
1930
Incumbent re-elected.Morris Sheppard (Democratic) 92.6%
Carlos G. Watson (Republican) 7.1%
Virginia Carter Glass Democratic1920 (Appointed)
1920 (Special)
1924
1930
Incumbent re-elected.Carter Glass (Democratic) 91.7%
West Virginia Matthew M. Neely Democratic 1930 Incumbent re-elected.Matthew M. Neely (Democratic) 59.1%
Hugh I. Shott (Republican) 40.9%
Wyoming Robert D. Carey Republican 1930 (Special)
1930
Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected.
Democratic gain.
Harry H. Schwartz (Democratic) 53.8%
Robert D. Carey (Republican) 45.4%

Election during the 75th Congress

In this special election, the winner was elected in 1937 after January 3.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Arkansas
(Class 2)
Joseph Robinson Democratic 1913
1918
1924
1930
1936
Incumbent died July 14, 1937, having just been re-elected, see above.
New senator elected October 18, 1937.
Democratic hold.
John E. Miller (Democratic) 60.8%
Carl E. Bailey (Democratic) 39.3%

Massachusetts

General election
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Republican Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. 875,16048.53+3.86
Democratic James Michael Curley 739,75141.02-12.99
Union Party Thomas C. O'Brien 134,2457.44+7.44
Economy Alonzo B. Cook 11,5190.64+0.64
Social Justice Guy M. Gray 9,9060.55+0.55
Socialist Albert Sprague Coolidge 9,7630.54-0.06
Townsend Moses H. Gulesian 7,4080.41+0.41
Socialist Labor Ernest L. Dodge 7,4080.39+0.01
Communist Charles Flaherty 4,8210.27-0.06
Prohibition Wilbur D. Moon 3,6770.20+0.20
Write-in160.00

Montana

United States Senate election in Montana, 1936 [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Democratic James E. Murray (inc.) 121,769 54.98% -4.68%
Republican Thomas O. Larson60,03827.11%-12.32%
Independent Joseph P. Monaghan 39,65517.91%
Majority61,73127.87%+7.65%
Turnout 221,462
Democratic hold Swing

South Carolina

South Carolina U.S. Senate Election, 1936
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Democratic James F. Byrnes (incumbent)113,69698.6-1.4
Republican Joseph Augustis Tolbert9610.8N/A
Republican Marion W. Seabrook7020.6N/A
No party Write-Ins 10.00.0
Majority112,73597.8-2.2
Turnout 115,360
Democratic hold
  65+% won by Byrnes

Virginia

United States Senate election in Virginia, 1936 [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Democratic Carter Glass (inc.) 244,518 91.66% +14.99%
Republican George Rohken12,5734.71%+4.71%
Communist Donald Burke8,9073.34%+3.34%
Independent Democratic Elbert Lee Trinkle 4690.18%-17.68%
Independent A. J. Dunning1250.05%
Write-ins1740.07%+0.04%
Majority231,94586.95%+28.14%
Turnout 266,766
Democratic hold

See also

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References